Top News:
Borys Kit / Hollywood Reporter:
Sources: Netflix's feature film division is focusing on making fewer but bigger and better movies, amid lagging subscriber growth and rising competition — The Scott Stuber-run division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus ‘The Gray Man’ from the 'Avengers …
Discussion:
@quellevousno2, @scott_bromley, @thr, @neilnevins, The Playlist, SlashFilm, Decider, @jaldous, screenland, The A.V. Club, @tvgrimreaper, Safety Propaganda, @trilogyfiim, @borys_kit and The Streamable
Don Moynihan / Can We Still Govern?:
A case study of a viral, false news story on “race-based grading” in a suburban Chicago school by LGIS News Service, part of a network run by Brian Timpone — What a viral fake news story about “race-based grading” tells us about our media ecosystem
Discussion:
@donmoyn, @bgrueskin, @bubbaprog, @bgrueskin, @donmoyn, @samthielman, @maxkennerly, @donmoyn, @samthielman, @kateamcmullen, @nrarmour, @sethcotlar, @jbouie, @heerjeet, @jbenton, @bgrueskin, The Daily Beast, Lead Stories, @digiphile, @bgrueskin, @justinbaragona, @willrich45, @bgrueskin, @rap30, @forwardcarolina, @bgrueskin, The Kerr Report and @mollyjongfast
Variety:
Sources: Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich will step down, to be replaced by Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who together previously led MGM — Veteran film executive Toby Emmerich is exiting his post as Warner Bros. Picture Group chairman, three sources told Variety.
Discussion:
The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Insider, The Wrap, Deadline, IndieWire, @jilexander, The Playlist, Collider, @yara_wayne, @borys_kit, The Wrap, @ourmovienews, @the_moviebob, @aaroncouch and @kimmasters
Peter Kafka / Vox:
Some Hollywood insiders cheer Netflix's slowing growth but others worry its problems are streaming's problems and the market isn't as big as everyone had hoped — Netflix is losing subscribers. Does that mean Netflix has a problem or that streaming has a problem? — Hollywood spent years ignoring Netflix.
Discussion:
@jyarow, Mediaite, @shiraovide, Too Much TV Newsletter, @chaykak, @pkafka, @nirajc, @pkafka, @pkafka, @vtuss, @pkafka, @sherman4949 and @lucas_shaw
Igor Bonifacic / Engadget:
After Google's Play Store policy changes, Amazon removes IAPs from its Kindle and Music apps for Android, and direct audiobook purchases from Audible on Android — If you use Amazon's Kindle app on Android, you may have noticed the software doesn't offer the option to buy and rent ebooks …
Discussion:
CNET, @katienotopoulos and @ballmatthew, more at Techmeme »
Leah Nylen / Bloomberg:
Sources: the FTC is scrutinizing Amazon's acquisition of MGM Studios as part of its revamped antitrust probe of Amazon — The US Federal Trade Commission has revamped its antitrust probe of Amazon.com Inc., shaking up the investigative team, re-interviewing potential witnesses and asking questions …
Discussion:
Axios, @ne0liberal, @profgalloway and Reason
Katie Robertson / New York Times:
Vox Media Union, which covers about 350 workers, says its members signed a pledge to strike if a deal can't be reached when its contract expires on June 13 — The Vox Media Union's contract expires at midnight on June 13. The union is seeking cost-of-living raises and affordable benefits.
Discussion:
@rj_writes, @chriswelch, @vox_union, @miles__bryan, @vox_union, @adamclarkestes and @loudmouthjulia
Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Google launches Google TV for iOS, after moving the Movies and TV section from the Play Store to the Google TV app, letting users use their phone as a TV remote — Google TV has had a busy couple of months, with a variety of changes, launches, and updates.
Discussion:
The Keyword, The Verge and Gizmodo, more at Techmeme »
Ben Sisario / New York Times:
Harry Styles sells 182K vinyl copies of his album in a week, the most for anyone since 1991, and 500K+ overall units; for most, a goal of 1M is now out of reach — “Harry's House,” the British pop star's third solo album, moved more copies on vinyl since at least 1991, when SoundScan began keeping reliable sales data.
Discussion:
@billboard, Forbes, Variety, GoldDerby and NME
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
The BBC says an October 2021 article claiming some lesbians feel pressured into sex by trans women did not meet its accuracy standards in three different ways — Article claiming some lesbians feel pressured into sex by trans women found to have fallen beneath standards
Discussion:
GC News, bbc.co.uk, The Times, @tobymoses, @transactivismuk, @jaycockburn, @alawriedejesus, @laurakbuzz, @notcursede, @mechanival, @natachakennedy, @laurakbuzz, @johnmcm1, @spoonitoria, @feministroar, @laurakbuzz, @oneiriccanid, @traexecutive, @mattsingh_, @chican3ry, @liamodelluk and PinkNews
Patrick Brzeski / Hollywood Reporter:
Research: Disney+ Hotstar added 2.8M subscriptions in Q1 2022 in Southeast Asia to hit 39.5M total, capturing 22% of new streaming subscribers in the region — Disney+ Hotstar became the first premium SVOD service to reach 5 million subscribers in Indonesia, while Netflix still leads the race in the rest of Southeast Asia.
Alex Sherman / CNBC:
NESN, which broadcasts Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins games, becomes the first US regional sports network to launch a DTC streaming service, for $30 per month — - NESN, which broadcasts Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins games, is the first regional sports network in the U.S. to launch …
Discussion:
@sherman4949, Variety, The Streamable, New York Post, NESN.com, @viclombardi, Sportico, @stevekovach, @jessemontano_, @sportsrapport, @jon_greenberg, Next TV, The Hollywood Reporter, @lucas_shaw, @fareednbcs, @newyscruggs, CNET, @ryangreenednvr, Deadline, @davewiner, @bostonradio, Engadget, Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe and UPI